Booking Sites Spend Less and 14 Other Digital Trends This Week

Sarah Enelow-Snyder, Skift

- Sep 01, 2018 2:00 pm

Skift Take

This week in digital news, we took an up-close look at how booking sites are reeling in their spending, and what that means for the long term. Plus, tourism websites are taking privacy seriously, and loyalty program changes are making news left and right.

— Sarah Enelow-Snyder

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Throughout the week we post dozens of original stories, connecting the dots across the travel industry, and every weekend we sum it all up. This weekend roundup examines digital trends.

>>Suddenly those seemingly free-spending online travel agencies, which have made Google rich, are toning down their big-spending ways. Google shouldn’t be too worried: Expedia and Booking Holdings are still spending billions of dollars on search-engine marketing, but they’ve just become a bit more stingy. And, they hope, wise: This Is a Pivotal Moment for Booking Site Marketing Strategies

>>No matter the motive, being more transparent is a good move for eDreams Odigeo. The big problem is time. How long will it take for the new strategy to pay off, and will investors give the management team breathing room to make the required changes? eDreams Odigeo Looks to a Future With More Transparency

>>Destinations need data to know how to help their hotels, restaurants, and attractions market themselves. While they don’t need to know anything too intimate about travelers, they’re still making sure all their t’s are crossed as more privacy rights laws take effect: Tourism Websites Are Being Redesigned to Get Way More Personal

>>If Eventbrite indeed goes public, watch to see whether it continues its spending-fueled period of growth or transitions into a more risk-averse period. The global event market is still booming, but growth can come at a steep cost with a lack of focus on innovation: What Eventbrite’s Rise Means for Everyone Else

>>Loyalty is big business, and Air Canada is working hard to create a forward-looking program that leverages advanced e-commerce techniques. The airline’s acquisition of Aeroplan bodes well for scaling up its program over the next few years: Video: Inside Air Canada’s Digital Loyalty Strategy

>>Corporate travel companies with global experience have made the strongest gains as business travel expands worldwide. The success of Corporate Travel Management over the last five years proves that you don’t need to be an industry giant to service customers effectively: Australia’s Influence Grows in Business Travel